1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to computer workstations, and more particularly to a portable, collapsible, stable, easily re-locatable workstation for supporting a lap-top computer, and that also supports a digital instrument or digital photographic equipment used in conjunction with the lap-top computer.
2. Background Art
With the advent of digital devices used in field work it becomes advantageous to have a platform that:                1. allows an individual to transport the equipment to a work site; and        2. incorporates a work surface together with a mount for supporting digital devices such as a camera or an instrument.Professional photographers use an assortment of gear when setting up for a remote photo shoot. Presently, when a lap-top computer and digital photographic equipment are used together, the equipment may be assembled away from the shooting location rather than being transported to the location and assembled there. Conventional photographic supporting systems, such as tripod, generally lack a work platform for supporting a lap-top computer being used in conjunction with a digital camera or instrument.        
U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,854 (“the '854 patent”) discloses a portable, self-contained telescoping camera tower system. The camera tower is a stand-alone unit having a tripod base that is capable of being transported, set up and operated by a single individual. The system provides steady raising and lowering of the tower over its full range of up and down movement. An arrangement of pulleys, bearing surfaces, and drive means, preferably with two power-up drives and a separate power-down drive, assures smooth operation though its full operating range for elevating and lowering a camera. The '854 patent also discloses a control unit, supported on the camera tower, that is used to control operation both of the tower power drives, and of a pan and tilt unit atop the tower supporting the camera. The control unit typically includes a joystick for operating the pan and tilt unit. A video monitor can also be supported on the camera tower to aid in camera control. The '854 patent fails to disclose a work platform for supporting a lap-top computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,084 discloses a support apparatus that uses a plurality of legs removably coupled to a pedestal upon which a portable computer rests. The pedestal includes a storage compartment that is adapted for storing the removable legs when not in use. Including a storage compartment within the pedestal reduces the overall bulk of the support apparatus, and permits transporting as a unit all components of the support apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,493,220 discloses a mobile workstation that includes both an adjustable-height horizontal tray and a pull-out tray mounted beneath the horizontal tray for supporting a keyboard. The horizontal tray supports a device, such as computer terminal, in a vertical orientation with:                1. a tiltable docking station mounted atop the horizontal tray; or        2. a mounting bracket mounted adjacent to the horizontal tray.The mobile workstation also carries a power unit including an extended-life battery and a battery charger that connects to an AC power supply to charge the conventional battery pack connected to the computer terminal as well as the extended-life battery carried on the mobile workstation. A chassis, that includes a wheeled dolly assembly above which projects an adjustable pedestal, supports mobile workstation's horizontal tray. The wheeled dolly assembly allows an operator to easily move the mobile workstation from place to place.        
U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,720 discloses a portable laptop computer workstation that includes a first work space having a rectangular planar table for supporting a laptop computer. A lower surface of the planar table rests upon a Tee-shaped receiver having a pair of longitudinal legs parallel to one edge of the planar table, and a transverse leg normal to the longitudinal legs. The Tee-shaped receiver rests on a conventional camera tripod for supporting the planar table, and is adapted for receiving and mechanically supporting additional work spaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,008 portable computer workstation assembly for enabling a computer's use from a comfortable position such as from a lounge chair or a bed. The portable computer workstation assembly includes a base assembly having an elongate base member and a pair of leg members securely attached at opposite ends of the elongate base member. The base assembly's elongate base member supports a vertically oriented, upright housing tower. A height adjustment assembly, attached to the upright housing tower, supports both an adjustable keyboard support assembly, and above the keyboard support assembly an adjustable monitor support assembly. A central processing unit support member is fixed to one side of the housing tower.